Drive-By
Campus Exterior View
Maryville Academy is an active social services campus and not open for paranormal tourism. The campus can be observed from the public road. Do not enter without permission.
- Duration:
- 15 min
Other Dark Tourism Site
Maryville Academy
Historic Catholic Orphanage in Des Plaines
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Active social services organization — not a public tourist attraction.
Access
Limited Access
Paved campus
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1883 · Catholic Social Services · Orphanage History · Illinois Institutional History
Archbishop Patrick A. Feehan established Saint Mary's Training School in 1883 on 880 acres north of Des Plaines, providing a farm-based home for dependent and neglected boys where they could learn trades and receive an education. The scope expanded in 1911 when girls from three Chicago institutions joined the campus, enabling sibling reunification that the orphanage model had previously prevented.
A four-year high school program launched in 1939. In 1950, students voted to rename the institution Maryville Academy, a name it carries today. Through the 1960s and 70s, new residential facilities were constructed for high school students; the 1980s brought foster care, shelter services, and programs for pregnant teens. Hurricane Katrina relief work in the mid-2000s expanded the organization's healthcare reach.
Maryville Academy currently operates 19 programs across four service areas — family, residential, healthcare, and education — in five Illinois locations. The campus bears no resemblance to its orphanage origins in mission, though its institutional presence in Des Plaines remains a touchstone of the region's Catholic social services history.
Sources
- https://maryvilleacademy.org/about-us/our-history/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryville_Academy
Phantom soundsPhantom footstepsResidual haunting
The account comes from one witness: a woman who, at roughly age 10 in approximately 1931, was sleeping in the girls' dormitory when she and the other children heard something approach. The description, preserved in a 2004 testimony from her daughter, is precise — the slow click of low heels, the swishing of robes, and the shifting of rosary beads. Nothing was visible.
The presence moved down the row of beds and stopped at the girl's. She felt a weight settle onto the foot of her mattress — the pressure and weight of a live person, according to her account. She lost consciousness and did not recover awareness until the morning bell. The children developed a consensus theory: a nun who had died at Maryville, likely in the 1918 influenza epidemic, had never stopped checking on the children in her care.
No additional corroborating accounts have been surfaced from the period. The phenomenon fits the archetype of a residual auditory loop — specific, repeating sensory data with no interactive component — which investigators have noted makes independent verification particularly difficult.
Notable Entities
The Visiting Nun
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maryville Academy family-friendly?
Active social services campus. No public access for paranormal tourism. Drive-by exterior view only. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Maryville Academy?
Active social services organization — not a public tourist attraction. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Maryville Academy wheelchair accessible?
Maryville Academy has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Paved campus.